Storm of the Heart
by X2yp71c
Summary: Jack x Raimundo Eventually. Summary within. Raimundo angst and Jack in denial. Mix of drama and action. Don't bother reading if you're looking for short and humorous.
1. Breaking the Locks

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Storm of the Heart

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Series: Xiaolin Showdown  
**Author:** Li  
**Fic-Type:** Multi-chaptered, in progess  
**Pairing:** Jack/Raimundo (seme/uke; dom./sub., just in case…)  
**Genre:** Angst, Romance, Drama  
**Rating:** R (aka M) Honestly, changing the rating labels was very unnecessary…  
**Summary:  
**Raimundo rediscovers the darkness of his childhood past when old horrors once again bare their fangs and threaten to consume him. As a consequence, abilities that would have otherwise remained dormant awaken and his life is constantly threatened. A series of events eventually leads him to Jack and emotions stir in the midst of chaos.  
**Warning:  
**Yaoi, slash, homosexuality; whatever you want to call it. Hurt/comfort theme and Raimundo-angst. Severe depression and violence ahead, coupled w/ mild sexual hints (perhaps lime). Other warnings later as necessity dictates. Oh, and I am also a bad writer.

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Author's Note:  
1) Too few Jack/Rai fics in existence.  
2) Sickened by the amt. of Rai/Kimiko shippers. (no offense)  
3) Have not watched all XS episodes; circumstantial inaccuracies and spelling errors will be abundant.  
4) Constructive criticism/suggestions welcome and cherished, flames will be laughed at.

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Chapter One: Breaking the Locks

Wednesday night in the Xiaolin Temple found all of its occupants in deep sleep. A white dove fluttered through the darkness, its gentle wingbeats blending seamlessly with the sounds of the rustling Autumn leaves. Bright black eyes scanned the looming shadows of the temple complex before finding its destination. The small dove landed silently on the round window looking into the Xiaolin Apprentices' room, and cooed softly as it peered through the bars.

The room that was shared by all Xiaolin Dragons-in-Training was divided into four smaller compartments, each of which belonged to its designated Dragon. Omi, Kimiko and Clay slept peacefully, but Raimundo moaned softly in his sleep, and the dove cocked its head. Brows creased and sweat collecting on his temples, the Brazilian boy rolled onto his side, gripping his blanket with clenched fists. With a startled yelp he woke suddenly, throwing back his covers and breathing heavily. He did not notice the dove's sudden retreat into the darkness.

"Somethin' wrong, Rai?" Kimiko's head peered groggily at Raimundo around the wall that separated his space from hers, a fist rubbing one eye.

Raimundo raised a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes, feeling lost. He couldn't remember what his dream had been about, but his heart still pounded maddeningly in his chest, knotted in fear. "No, I'm okay… It was just a bad dream, I guess…" He looked at her and smiled weakly.

"A bad dream can be a most ominous omen." Omi yawned, and his head appeared next to Kimiko's around the wall. Still half-asleep, he grinned and babbled, "They can be interpreted many ways and if you - …"

"Omi, you're awake too?" Raimundo cut in, somewhat surprised. His heartbeat having returned to normal, he suddenly realized that he was still tired and that it was the middle of the night.

"Of course! A dragon with tiger instincts, such as myself, have keen abilities of hearing, even asleep. I was worried when I heard you shout, but you are okay afterall!" Omi grinned, before falling sideways to the floor, snoring softly.

Kimiko rolled her eyes and asked Raimundo if he wanted to talk about it. The response she received was an irritated Raimundo shooing them back to bed so that they could all get back to sleep.

-x-

Morning went by rather uneventfully, with the small exception that it had taken longer than usual for Raimundo to get out of bed. After chores, Master Fung assigned each dragon a set of training exercises and left them to practice, this time without the advantage of using shen gong wu.

Noon came and went. Omi was quickly able to master the difficult pattern of martial arts formations. Kimiko, who had been told to practice aiming flaming projectiles at marked targets, made several misses but otherwise was doing well. Clay was also improving, gaining strength by smashing through rock and brick. Raimundo, however, found himself struggling to complete his task and quickly grew frustrated.

He was kneeling about 10 meters away from his target; a walnut hanging suspended from an iron bar. Using only his element and from that distance, Raimundo was expected to break the walnut in half. He had originally begun with a lot of confidence, but as the hour went by, discovered that whatever wind he summoned either missed the walnut, or wasn't strong enough. The walnut merely swayed erratically in the gusts of wind, no closer to breaking than it had been from the start, while he sat there drenched in sweat. Not even his strongest attack, the Typhoon Boom, succeeded, except for leaving a large crater in the immediate vicinity.

"I give up! That walnut is never gonna break!" He hit the ground furiously once with his fist before leaping to his feet and stomping away, tears of frustration streaking down his face. The others watched him retreat to a far corner of the training grounds, where he sat beneath the drooping branches of a large tree.

"Is Raimundo going to be okay?" Omi wondered, eyes wide at the uncharacteristic display. "At his level, I think he should be proud of himself."

"Perhaps we should go talk to him." Kimiko sighed worriedly.

"That won't be necessary." The three spun to meet Master Fung. "I'll talk to him. You three are done practicing for now. You may take the rest of the day off." He smiled reassuringly, and after some hesitation, they stole away, stealing a last few worried glances at their frustrated friend.

-x-

"What is the matter, Raimundo?"

The brunette sitting dejectedly in the shade looked up at the tall figure of Master Fung. He sighed and stood up, bowing in apology.

"I'm sorry, Master Fung. I just couldn't do what you asked me to. I don't even know what I'm doing wrong. In battle, I was always able to use my element to advantage… Perhaps I'm just not good enough." He looked away, ashamed.

"Ah, Raimundo never underestimate yourself. You are very strong already." Raimundo's face held a look of disbelief. "In battle, you succeeded in destroying your opponents because they were large, heavy and most importantly, in opposition to your element. This however, is a different situation." The wise monk gestured to the walnut, swaying in the breeze. "As you have already figured out, the walnut is small and light and…"

Raimundo's eyes followed the walnut as it swung like a pendulum. "Its movement follows the currents of the wind!"

Master Fung smiled. "Exactly, Raimundo. By following the wind, it survives your attacks. Power and force will not work to your advantage here, even if you summoned a hurricane."

Raimundo's expression became downcast. "So how can I break it then?"

"That is for you to figure out. Think carefully, young monk. In time, you will discover the answer." Master Fung laid a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder. "Do not worry. This lesson I will allow you to solve whenever you are ready. For now, let's take a break. Your friends are worried about you."

Seeing as how he didn't have much of a choice, the dragon of wind shrugged and followed the older monk back into the temple, mouth bearing the faintest traces of a frown.

-x-

Plate. Soap. Scrub. Scrub. Pass to Clay. In the early evening, Raimundo did this daily chore ritual in a kind of trance, too accustomed to the work that he didn't need to focus on what he was doing. He stared at the suds and the foam, wondering, not for the first time, why he couldn't seem to do anything right.

__

Have I always been the weakest dragon here? …Well, yeah. Duh. It's only logical. It took forever for me to become an Apprentice, and even then… Master Fung probably granted it to me so that the others wouldn't have to lag in their studies… Strength, ha, what strength… I should never have left Brazil, left the circus; at least I belonged there… It seems so long ago but I can remember… Circus life, and before that… That… That was…

Raimundo's thoughts were cut short as a surge of pain welled in his head, and his vision blacked out. A very small girl sat on her heels in the distance; a necklace hanging from her neck glimmered in the light from an invisible source. She tried to stand but stumbled and fell, and blood began to drip from her mouth as she looked up. Raimundo desperately reached out…

"Raimundo? Raimundo!"

The brunette seemed to wake from a nightmare, mind numb with pain. In his blurry vision, he noticed that his hands were red, and for a second believed that it was the girl's blood. Then he realized that the dish he had been cleaning at the time had completely shattered in his hands, and several cuts caused by the shards bled freely. The soap stung but his mind was still on the vision he had seen.

"Oh my god, Rai, you're bleeding!" It was Kimiko's high shriek that fully brought him back to his senses.

"Oh, shit…" Deciding to ignore the confusion and the ball of fear that had grown in his heart, Raimundo hastily dropped whatever fragments he still held, and took gratefully the dry dish towel Clay offered him. He winced as he dabbed at the blood.

"You gave us quite a scare there, partner. Looked as if you'd seen a ghost, or something." Said Clay.

"Are you going to be okay?" Kimiko hovered solicitously next to Raimundo, unsure of what to do.

"I had better go get Master Fung." Omi stated, eyes wide and looking slightly green. It seemed that sheltered Omi had not been exposed to much blood in his life. He hurried off.

-x-

Raimundo stared at the ceiling from his prone position on his bed. Both of his palms were heavily bandaged and they stung like Hell, but he had too much on his mind to complain about the pain. Master Fung, after examining the wounds, had told him to rest for the night, assuring him that the dishes would be taken care of. He was as confused as the rest of them were, and the vision tugged persistently at his thoughts, leaving a dull ache in his skull. He felt exhausted suddenly, and his eyelids fluttered closed, just as a white dove landed at the window.

In the kitchen his friends were being questioned and Master Fung listened to their replies with a solemn face.

"-and for a moment it was as if Rai wasn't really there." Kimiko pointed to her head for emphasis.

"And the plate just shattered?"

"True, Master Fung." Omi nodded enthusiastically. "Perhaps he had squeezed it too hard, because it quite suddenly just broke, like this." He made exaggerated hand gestures to illustrate his view.

"I hope nothing's wrong with him, sir." Clay added with concern. "Do you think it was perhaps because of today's training?"

Master Fung smiled slightly. "I believe that may very well be the case. Raimundo must have been very stressed this afternoon, and I am sure he was probably reflecting on that during the dishes." He stood up from the table and gestured for the three of them to head to bed. "In any case, I am confident he'll recover. The cuts weren't severe. And as it is getting late, perhaps you should all get some sleep as well. At any moment a shen gong wu might awaken. Best be prepared at all times."

They nodded and left, confident in the older monk's judgment. However, they whispered amongst themselves as to how they might help Raimundo feel better about his earlier setback in training, even as they tiptoed into their room, where Raimundo's quiet breathing was just barely audible.

**-To be continued…-**

Eh… Abnormally short word count for a chapter, but I wanted to get this posted. Jack will probably make his appearance in the next chapter, but it'll be a little longer before we get to some actual lovin'. –wink- Please forgive any errors, it is 3:30 am and I rushed writing this. I had a Hell of a time, trying to keep them in character. Don't worry, the OC(s) will only serve as plot devices.

I'm not sure how long it will take me to update, but hang in there. I'm too disappointed w/ the utter lack of Jack/Rai fics to let this go to waste. Ah, one warning... I'm an utter sucker for the angsty and waffy hurt/comfort theme, despite how cliché it is.

Questions, comments? I beg you to speak freely, as it encourages me to know that my work is not wasted on non-existent readers.

Also, many thanks to one talented Captain Peeps Inferior and her fic, "Why Not?" since I owe it to her for inspiration for this fic. In fact, I blame that fic of hers for causing this weird sudden attachment to Rai and Jack of XS, when I had originally little interest for this series at all. Oh well. Until next time…


	2. Dull Blade

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Storm of the Heart

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Author: Li  
**Fic-Stats:** 2 chapters, in progress  
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Disclaimer: All characters from the cartoon series Xiaolin Showdown does not belong to me and I am in no way, shape or form using them to make profit. The only things I own are my fantasies…

****

Warning:  
Yaoi, slash, homosexuality; whatever you want to call it. Hurt/comfort theme and Raimundo-angst. Severe depression and violence, coupled w/ mild sexual hints (perhaps lime) and excessive profanity. Other warnings later as necessity dictates. Oh, and I am also a bad writer.

****

Author's Note:  
1) Forgot disclaimer. Can't believe I forgot the #1 rule for all fanfiction…  
2) No idea which side has what shen gong wu. So I'm making it up, purely for convenience.  
3) Forced to invent a few shen gong wu. Try to ignore how corny they are.  
4) To me, Jack seems older and taller than Rai. If that's not really so, just be quiet and go with it. -smile-

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Chapter Two: Dull Blade

Jack was currently in his basement lair, fiddling with his inventions and various robots. Wuya hovered above his shoulder, growling impatiently as she observed the mess he created. Mechanical junk crowded the floor while hardcore rock screamed from a nearby stereo. It annoyed her to no end, to see him working on his pathetic machines when there were bigger fish to fry; such as practicing with the few shen gong wu they still had.

"Jack!" When she received no response and Jack simply continued bobbing his head to the music, her prompt shriek shocked him into dropping the torch welder he was using. "JACK!"

"What, Wuya!" He huffed, clearly annoyed. "Can't you see that Jack Spicer, the almighty Lord of Darkness, is busy? I've been concocting the most diabolically brilliant plan to steal the brats' shen gong wu." He brushed himself off and stood up proud, somehow looking as if he expected Wuyu to congratulate him. Right.

"You imbecile! Enough with the corny titles!" Jack's face fell. "We wouldn't have to steal the shen gong wu if YOU hadn't lost all those showdowns in the first place! You would do better to do some actual battle training for once, you pathetic excuse for evil villain!"

"Hey, get off my case!" He protested, looking hurt. Then his eyes narrowed and he pointed an accusatory finger at Wuya. "Besides, you wouldn't be here, begging me to collect the shen gong wu if you hadn't been defeated by Grand Master Dashi in the first place! Hah, take that!"

Wuya did a double take and began to splutter. "Oh, how dare you! You insolent brat! Why, if I - !" Her rant was cut short as a sudden chill passed through her and she began to cackle. Jack rolled his eyes, knowing what that meant.

"Hurry, Jack! I sense a new shen gong wu has awakened!" And her eyes lit up in anticipation. "The Dagger of Change! This one is important! Hurry before the others find it!"

"Just a sec! We're bringing my latest and greatest invention!" Jack's smile was wide as he patted the metal armor of the robot he had not moments before been working on.

The ghost-witch stared, unimpressed. "What is that?"

-x-

"The Dagger of Change?"

Raimundo, Kimiko, Clay and Omi stared down at the magical scroll Master Fung held open before them. The moving image displayed a dagger of simple design being aimed at a human figure. It flashed once and the human figure morphed into a dog. It flashed again and became a bear. Each successive flash of light caused the figure to change into a different animal, until Master Fung shut the scroll with a snap.

"Yes, the Dagger of Change is powerful indeed. When used, it forces the person targeted to acquire whatever form the user chooses. In the wrong hands it could cause a lot of damage, so be careful when you go fetch it."

From his spot on the floor, Dojo was shivering madly, wrapped in a thick blanket, eyes glassy and nose dripping. "H-Hey, i-is t-the h-heater on? C-Cause I-I-I'm f-freezing t-to d-d-death h-here!" Another shen gong wu side effect. Poor thing.

Kimiko picked up Dojo sympathetically. "Come on Dojo, the sooner we find it, the sooner you'll feel better. Hey," She directed at the others. "Let's get some shen gong wu from the vault and go kick Jack Spicer's butt!" Followed closely by Omi and Clay, they headed towards the vault.

The dragon of water looked back once and gestured enthusiastically. "Come on, Raimundo! First to finish the race becomes a scrambled egg!" Raimundo gaped at the utter butchering of the oh-so-infamous saying.

But he hesitated slightly and unwrapped the bandages around his hands to inspect the damage. They no longer hurt as much but the cuts looked as if they'd reopen if he wasn't careful. He had never told anyone about the vision of the supposedly dying girl, either, and his companions had chalked the accident up to frustration. But ever since he had woken up that morning they had all treated him like some sort of a crippled child. Their concern and encouragement, although flattering, made him feel somewhat degraded.

"Are you sure you want to go this time, Raimundo?" Asked Master Fung, concerned. "Both of your hands are injured, and if you are forced to fight, they may get worse."

The dragon looked up, suddenly determined. "I have to, Master Fung! I can't just sit around and hope my friends don't get hurt! Besides," And here he clenched his hands into fists, ignoring the slight sting. "I'm going to prove to the others that I'm not weak."

"...Very well."

-x-

The ride to the shen gong wu's location was rather unpleasant. In the sky, the air was reasonably colder and it did nothing to help Dojo's condition. His forty foot long frame trembled violently, with the occasional twitch and jerk, as he searched the land far, far below them. Terrified, the dragons clutched at each other, convinced they'd get tossed off, and Clay even remarked how similar it was to riding a bucking bronco. When they finally landed at the entrance to a large cave high in a mountain, Raimundo leapt down and threw himself on the dirt.

"Land!" He exclaimed, hugging a rock and going dramatic. Kimiko rolled her eyes and Omi laughed. "Now I can see why you love the earth so much, Clay! I thought we were all gonna die!"

"Too true, partner." Clay laughed. Dojo didn't look amused.

"H-Hey, y-you're all l-l-lucky t-that I g-got y-you t-to t-the r-r-right place!" He sulked and shrank to his smaller form, then slithered into Kimiko's coat pocket where he continued to shake due to the nonexistent cold.

"Hey, look. It's the Xiaolin losers!" Jack stepped forward out of the shadows, the Dagger of Change in his hands.

Immediately the four dragons whipped into battle stances and the two opposing teams eyed each other warily.

"Give us the shen gong wu, Jack Spicer!" Omi hissed. "It doesn't belong to you!"

Jack cackled and the propellers of his helipack extended, lifting him off the ground. "Not likely!" He pressed a button on a remote and the four trainee monks stumbled as the ground began to shake.

Behind Jack a robot built to resemble a huge medieval dragon stomped into view. Charcoal black, the mechanical lizard thrashed its long tail and roared, sending flames bursting from its fanged jaws, titanium wings unfolding from its back. Its creator let out a long bout of evil laughter and flew over the heads of the Xiaolin dragons towards the cave exit.

"Meet my very own dragon, Ruby. Isn't she adorable?" The redhead continued to gush, unaware that Wuya was rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Have fun, losers!"

Dojo, who had by now returned to normal, gazed up at the other dragon, unable to suppress the feeling of awe. "I hate to say it kids, but I think that thing's bigger than me, even!"

"Who cares!" Shouted Kimiko. "We have to go after Jack, he's getting away!"

But as they turned to follow, Ruby had taken off and flown to the exit, blocking their escape. It roared and a jet of flame shot at Omi. He held up the Orb of Tornami and easily doused the fire, but the dragon had already turned its attention to Kimiko.

"Judallet Flip!" The series of fiery kicks and punches did no damage. Ruby's claws easily swiped her to the side and she slammed into the wall.

"Kimiko!" Shouted Omi.

"I guess it's my turn, now! Seismic Kick!"

Raimundo's eyes widened as he realized something that Clay hadn't. "No, don't! That'll seal the cave!"

But too late, the ground trembled and rocks from the ceiling began to fall. Raimundo looked around and saw that Kimiko, Clay and Omi were all locked in battle against the dragon. But time was running out and a growing, solid wall of boulders and rocks would soon block the only exit entirely.

It didn't take him long to decide. "I'll go after Jack!"

He turned and started running, dodging chunks of rock that shattered around him. He slid through a hole in the wall just as it was entirely sealed by more falling debris. Jack was hovering just beyond the edge of the cliff, eating popcorn and admiring the show. He was surprised to find Raimundo confronting him, Sword of the Storm clutched in his hands.

"The Dagger, give it!" The brunette gasped.

"No way!" Jack shouted and crossed his arms.

Wuya was furious. "Flee, Jack, before you do something stupid!"

But as Jack turned to leave, Raimundo threw caution to the winds and leapt off the cliff, desperate to prove himself. A flailing hand caught hold of Jack's forearm, throwing the redhead off balance, and before the 'evil boy genius' could react, he had thrown his other hand up to grip the handle of the Dagger, just below Jack's grasp.

"Jack, I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!" Raimundo smirked at his annoyed and angry expression.

"Yeah, go Raimundo!" They looked down and saw Omi, Clay and Kimiko standing on the cliff, apparently having gotten away from the dragon. "We're rootin' for ya!"

"What? What did you jerks do to my poor Ruby!" Jack panicked, momentarily distracted. Wuya scowled and yelled at him to pay attention.

"I wager my Sword of the Storm for your Shroud of Shadows. A simple one on one battle, first to knock the other off the cliff wins!"

Jack lifted the arm holding the Dagger upward until Raimundo's face became level with his. "I accept your challenge and I hope you're ready to lose." He spat, glaring into the smaller boy's eyes.

Their surroundings instantly changed. A giant pillar of rock rose out of nowhere from directly beneath them to serve as their battle ground. It elevated them until the clouds covered the area, making it difficult to see even its boundaries. The two boys simultaneously released the Dagger and it floated high above them, waiting for the victor to claim it.

They faced each other and, "Gong yi tan pai!"

"Hah! Shroud of Shadows!" Jack quickly wrapped the cloak around him, effectively making his form disappear.

Raimundo looked around, confused and worried. A kick aimed at his back suddenly sent him sprawling forwards but he got to his feet and, by a stroke of luck, parried the invisible punch aimed at his head with his free arm. Jack briefly retreated but soon came back, kicking Raimundo's legs out from under him. The brunette fell backwards, Sword in hand, and almost fell over the edge if his other hand hadn't flung out and stopped himself from doing so. He gasped when he felt a painful sting in his palm and remembered the cuts. But he grit his teeth and got up, focused on the battle.

__

I won't be able to beat him if I can't see where I am! Damn clouds are in the way!

He lifted his Sword. "Sword of the Storm!" And a great gust of wind burst forth from the end of the blade. It swept around them, blowing the clouds away.

To Raimundo's advantage, Jack cried out angrily as his Shroud of Shadows was also blown off him. Without his cover he could do little else but fight against the wind and tackle the Brazilian boy to the ground. They scuffled for several moments, but Jack managed to knock the Sword from Raimundo's hand. The dragon heaved him off and made a grab for the Sword but Jack rammed into him from his side. Sliding on the ground he slipped over the cliff, but his desperate hands caught the edge and Raimundo looked up, already tasting defeat as Jack looked down on him.

"Well, well. Looks like I'm gonna win this round, loser!" He shouted triumphantly, brandishing the Sword.

"Stop gloating and finish the job!" Wuya shrieked, and the three other spectators gasped in fear.

Jack took a second look at Raimundo and his grin slipped a notch as his eyes took in the smaller boy's dangling form, noticing for the first time the thin streaks of blood that oozed down his arms, even as he struggled to climb back up. Tears had gathered in the brunette's eyes, and Jack rapidly shook his head to quell the unidentifiable emotions that had unexpectedly risen within him. He raised a foot, prepared to step on the boy's hands and force him to fall, but something inside him once again reared its ugly head and violently protested against his planned actions.

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What… What is this? Guilt..? Guilt or… Or something…?

"What are you doing Jack! Quit stalling!" Wuya's voice hit him on the head and he whipped around glaring at her.

"Yo, I know what I'm doing so quit nagging!" Jack turned back around but Raimundo's arms had already given out and he had fallen.

-x-

"Rai, it's not your fault." Kimiko implored softly. Raimundo remained silent from his seat on his bed and pointedly turned away from her. She got to her feet and exchanged worried looks with Clay and Omi. "Well, we'll be outside so just tell us if you need anything…" She trailed off, finally accepting the fact that he was too upset for conversation.

After the door shut behind them, Raimundo collapsed on his bed, rolling on his stomach and burying his face in the pillow. His hands were once again heavily bandaged, this time all the way up to his elbows, having gained additional scratches from the battle, and he knew by the frown on Master Fung's face that it would be a while before they completely healed. He was too angry at himself to cry and he let out a breathless sob.

__

Why? WHY? He curled on his side, hugging his pillow. Waves of shame, despair and confusion swamped over him. What added to the hurt was that, of the three shen gong wu lost, he had forfeited his favorite, his Sword. _What did I do wrong…? I did my best… And it wasn't good enough… It's NEVER good enough!_ Enraged, he punched his pillow, but just as quickly as it came, his strength left him and he felt a hollow ache in his chest. _Just like… Them… I was never good enough for… Them…_

-x-

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Raimundo opened his eyes and saw a handsome, brown closed casket in front of him. An assortment of beautiful, fragrant blossoms lay heavily on the cover. Other people stood around the coffin, a few were crying as a priest recited quietly from a book. He stepped forward to look closer, but a heavy hand on his shoulder stopped him from doing so. He looked up into the expressionless face of a tall, dark haired man and the young boy began to cry. Another hand gripped his wrist and his gaze met a pair of eyes just as dark green as his own, a blonde woman with a tear stained face, even as she stared hard at him.

"It's all your fault." A voice whispered in his ear, and he spun around. His mouth opened in silent protest.

Another man, wearing a dark blue uniform and a grave expression burst through the door. "What've you done?" He barked and the brunette turned around to see blood on the floor.

The man didn't bother waiting for an answer as he shoved past him into the hallway, knocking the small boy to the ground. Something strong wrapped around his neck and he was jerked backwards by an invisible force. Screaming and kicking, he was dragged into shadows and darkness and then he was suddenly falling, hands reaching out but finding nothing to hold onto. The wind rushed around him almost deafeningly and he closed his eyes, bracing himself for impact.

"You're coming with me, right?"

-x-

Raimundo woke up screaming, both from pain and fear as a pressure in his head threatened to crack his skull in half. Bright sunlight burned into his eyes and he recoiled, shading his eyes with his arm. A white dove soared away in the path of the sunlight. Wiping his face he turned, leaned against the wall, and sniffled.

_What are these images? What are they! I don't understand. What the Hell's going on? Am I supposed to know these people…?_

-x-

Jack sat on a stool, his newly acquired shen gong wu laying on a table before him, looking for all the world as if he had just been sentenced to death.

"Are you fretting about that stupid dragon?" Wuya snorted. "You should be rejoicing! For once you did something right!"

"Oh, go away, Wuya." He snapped angrily. Wuya huffed away in disgust, muttering about how fate was so cruel as to make her dependent upon such an idiot.

But Jack wasn't sad about Ruby. No, he had gone back and collected her charred remains and planned on rebuilding her. In fact, he was sitting there trying to figure out why he felt so horrible. Wuya was right, as much as he hated to admit it. Technically, he rarely succeeded in a showdown match and this was his first victory in quite a while. So why the Hell couldn't he feel happy about it? An image of a boy's utterly defeated and anguished face as he faded from view flashed through his mind and he covered his eyes with a hand.

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No. Uh-uh. No way. We are NOT going there…

If it was at all possible, he had just succeeded in making himself feel even more miserable than ever before.

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-To be continued…-

Okay, two chapters in two days is just downright creepy. It took me four years to get four chapters out for my other story so what gives? –sigh- If I knew where this motivation was coming from, I'd be able to get a lot more things done just as quick…

So how is it going so far? Yes, I'm starting to lay the angst on thick… I love it. –smile- Now I just hope there weren't too many errors. Suggestions or comments are welcome, of course. But flames are unnecessary, as I already know I suck. Haha.

They're so adorable when they fight, really… -sweatdrop- Er, well, back to business. Since I don't watch XS with captions or subtitles, the names of shen gong wu may be spelled incorrectly. Just making sure that's clear... Okay. Shutting up now.

Oh and, much love and thanks to those who reviewed the first chapter. -huggles beloved reviewers- Reviews are the only things keeping me alive these days… Well, until next time… -smile-


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